Crushing machine



H. lH. RUMPEL.

cRUsHING MACHINE Filed July 2S, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 BY M INVENTOR.

@MM MM ATTORNEY- Patented Mar. 12, 1935 UNITED `STATES PATENT OFFICE Smith Engineering Works,

Milwaukee, Wis., a

- corporation of Wis'consin Application July 2s, 1932, serial No. 625,263

27 Claims.

The present invention relates in general to improvements in the art of reducing hard substances such as rock, ore and the like, and rlates more specifically to improvements in the con- 5 struction and operation of crushing machines of the general type ywherein the material is periodically subjected to the reducing action of two relatively approaching and receding crushing members.

Generally defined, an object of the invention is to provide an improved crushing machine which is simple, compact and durable in construction, and which is moreover highly efficient in operation.

In the ordinary gyratory crusher wherein the material being reduced is caused to flow downwardly and outwardly through an annular crushing chamber formed between relatively movable and overlapping outer and inner crushing lmembers, there is a marked tendency for one of the ymembers to rotate relative to the other, especially when the crushing movement is produced by a rotary device such as an eccentric. When such Crushers are operated at relatively high speed, the rotative tendency of the movable member which is supported by the eccentric, becomes more pronounced, and causes spinning of the said member in the direction of rotation of the eccentric when the crushing zone is empty, and alsoproduces relatively slow rotation of the movable member in the opposite direction, when crushing is being effected. Due to the fact that the cooperating normally stationary crushing member is held or fixed against rotation, the sudden admission of a charge of material into the crushing chamber obviously must subject the holding means for the stationary member to tremendous strain, andthe said holding means must also be subjected to considerable stress during normal crushing. The operation of such crushers at high speed, also makes it desirable to provide safety release means for permitting passage through the crusher of abnormally hard or uncrushable substances, and prior Crushers of this kind have therefore been r provided with an annular series of compression springs which reacted at corresponding ends against the main frame and which coacted at their opposite corresponding ends with a ring connected to the frame by means of bolts passd ing through sets of alined holes in the frame and in the support for the normally fixed member, to permit tilting of the latter during the passage of uncrushable material while at the same time preventing rotation of the tiltable member relative to themain frame. These bolts together with special pins also connecting the fixer member support and the frame, constituted the holding or rotationvpreventing means for the normally fixed. member, and were therefore subjectedto undesirable shearing stress during normal operation '5 of the crushing machine and while rock was being crushed.

As disclosed in copending application Serial No. 544,053, filed June 13th, 1931, it has heretofore been proposed to mitigate the shearing tendency upon the safety release bolts and the rotation resisting pins of such crushers, by providing means for retarding the rotative tendency of the normally moving crushing member carried by the eccentric, with the aid of a brake applied'thereto, and it has also been proposed in said application to provide means for facilitating complete dismantling or yassembly of a gyratory crusher structure, by preventing the safety relief springs from expanding to their fullest extent when the crushing member which is normally restrained by the springs, is removed from the machine.- This improved Vconstruction did not, however, re lievethe springv tensioning bolts and the rotation resisting pins from all-objectionable -shear resulting from the rotative tendency of the movable crushing member. -v

. The prior crusher structures including the improved devicefof said application, moreover prov vided adjustingvmeans for changing the size of the nal product, such means being disposed between the safety release means and the normally xed crushing member, so that the adjusting mechanism received the full force of the impact resulting from rapid successive tilting of the fixed crushing member when uncrushable material passed through the crushing zone. In these prior machines, the hopper for delivering material to the crushing chamber, was also supported directly upon the xed crushing member, and was there. fore subjected to undesirable displacement during tilting movement of this member, so that the passage of uncrushable material through these prior art Crushers, while preventing breakage of parta. was in fact accompanied by many undesirable 45 resultant actions which were detrimental to the ldurability and eiiiciency of the crusher structures.

It has heretofore been proposed to utilize a s0.- called cone recrusher for the purpose of finally reducing either preliminarily broken rock, or 50 other material, torelatively small and uniform size. The cone crusher derives its name from the fact it embodies a conical head or crushing cone disposed within a concave or bowl having tapered internal surfaces cooperable with the cone* surface to form an intervening downwardly spreading crushing zone, the cone and bowl being relatively gyratable to crush the material advancing downwardly and outwardly through the crushing zone. In order to secure uniformity in size ofthe product without producing excess nes, the conetype of recrusher is ordinarily provided with a parallel .discharge zone so that the pieces of material after having been reduced to approximately nal size in the converging upper portion of the crushing zone, are given several crushing impulses between parallel surfaces before being delivered from the machine. Since the head in this prior type of recrusher is of true conical formation, it is necessary in order to provide converging and parallel successive crushing zone portions, to form thecrushing surface of the bowl with different inclination relative to the cone head, at the top and bottom of the crushing zone. This formation of the bowl surface not only introduces manufacturing difficulties, but also prevents free entry of larger pieces to the crushing zone, and subsequent retention of such pieces therein. In order to overcome this difliculty, it has been proposed to improve the entrance angle or angle of nip of the crushing surfaces, by stepping or serrating the inlet portion of the bowl crushing surface, thereby introducing additional manufacturing difficulties. Due to these diill-' culties in securing free entry of the material to` the crushing zone, it is also customary in this prior cone crusher, to provide an upwardly extending projection at the apex of the cone for stirring the entering charge and for pushing the i large pieces into the inlet opening,. and in some instances it .,was even customary to restrict the feed in an effort to improve the feeding conditions. It is, therefore, a more specific object of the present invention to provide an improved crusher yto structure, which, while possessing all of the advantages of the before-mentioned prior art machines, embodies none of the undesirable features thereof.

Some of the additional objects of the invention, specifically enumerated, are as follows:

(1) To provide an improved safety release for crushers of the gyratory and other types, which will most effectively absorb'all shock to which the I -is never subjected to undesirable jolting action.

(5) To provide van improved feed hopper supporting means which will permit convenient adjustmentof the hopper, without subjecting the same to undesirable displacement due to movement of the crushing members.

(6) v To provide an improved feed hopper structure which will-permit vertical adjustment of the hopper either simultaneously with or independently of other adjustments .effected in the machine with which the hopper is associated.

(7) To provide various improvements in the details of construction of crushing machines,

whereby the manufacture, assembly and operation of such devices is simplified, while the operating and repair costs are minimized.

(8) To provide an improved gyratory crusher structure wherein the use of a conical head is avoided, thereby avoiding the objections incident to the employment of a conical head; and as to this and subsequent specific objects, the present "application is a continuation in part 'of my prior such as was previously employed in cone crushers.

(11) An additional specific object of the invention is to provide a crusher which is especially adapted to receive and to effectively crush -slabby or flat rock.

1 (12) Another specific object of the invention is to provide a recrusher which will produce product of. uniform size', without using a long parallel zone at the discharge end of the main crushing zone, and wherein danger of clogging is effectively eliminated by a simple formation of the crushing surfaces.

These and other objects of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description.

A clear conception of an embodiment of the invention and of the mode of constructing and of operating gyratory crushers built in accordance therewith, maybe had by referring to the drawings accompanying and forming a part of this specification wherein like reference characters typical gyratory crusher of the revolving eccentric type, having all of the improvements incorporated therein; and

Fig. 2 is a transverse section through the typical gyratory crusher, the section being taken along the irregular line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

The improved crushing. machine shown in the drawings, comprises generally a normally movable inner crushing member or head 3 rigidly attached to the upper extremity of a tapered main shaft 4 and having its upper face protected by a removable mantle 5; an annular normally fixed. outer crushing member or concave 6 disposed above the head3 and having a downwardly and outwardly flaring removable liner 7 surrounding and overlying 'the head mantle 5 and cooperating therewith to form an annular downwardly extending and outwardly spreading crushing chamber 8; a stationary main frame 9 providing a support for the concave 6 and liner 7; and a rotary eccentric 10 journaled in the main frame 9 and coacting with the main shaft 4 to gyrate the head 3 and mantle relative to the concave 6 and liner 7, while at the same time supporting these movable elements. Such a crusher assemblage having the head mantle provided with a substantially spherical upper crushing surface cooperating with a substantially conical lower crushing Surface 0f the concave liner to form an intervening downwardly and outwardly extending crushing zone of gradually decreasing transverse width in the direction of travel of the material, and in which the included angle of the spherical mantle surface measured about the generating center of this spherical crushing surface was approximately one hundred and ten degrees was originally disclosed in my copending application Serial No. 544,053, led June 13, 1931, of which the present application is a continuation in part, and which has been lsuperseded by this application.

As illustrated, the head 3 and mantle 5 are of generally spherical formation, but it will be understood that these elements may be of any other shape or of the more usual forms such as conical. As shown, the head 3 is rigidly attached to the upper end of the inclined main shaft 4, and the mantle 5 is detachably connected to the head 3 by means such as a retainer plate 11 and bolts coacting with the plate and with the upper extremity of tlfe shaft 4. The head 3 is rotatably supported directly upon the upper end of the eccentric l0 by an upper roller thrust bearing 12, and the tapered lower portion of the main shaft 4 is freely rotatable within a tapered eccentric bore 13 extending longitudinally through the eccentric 10. The `thrust bearing 12 is disposed in a plane perpendicular to the axis of the bore 13, and this bore axis is positioned at an angle relative to and intersects the central vertical xed axis of the Crusher some distance above the mantle retainer plate 11. The lower central portion of the head 3 is provided with an integral flange 14 to the periphery of which an apron ring 15 is rigidlyattached, and this apron ring 15 has a peripheral flange which projects outwardly over the upper end of an annular sealing element 16 the lower end of which extends outwardly over and also within theA upper extremity of an annular inner wall 17 formed integral with the main frame 9. The upper portion of the sealing element 16-is bored and the lower portion of the apron ring 15 is recessed to` receive an upper snap ring 18 which is slidable along and rotatable within the cylindrical sealing element bore. The upper inner portion of the frame wall 17 is also bored, and the lower portion of the sealing element 16 is likewise recessed to receive a lowei snap ring 19 which is slidable along and rotatable within the cylindrical wall bore. The upper and lower ends of the sealing element 16, are also provided withl annular grooves which are alined with similar grooves in the adjacent members, and cylindrical leather strip packings 20 are disposed within the complementary grooves of each set. It is to be noted, that the. upper snap ring 18 lies in a plane perpendicular to the axis of the shaft 4 and parallel to the plane of the upper thrust bear ing 12, whereas the lower snap ring 19 is disposed in a plane which is perpendicular to the central vertical axis of the eccentric 10, thus permitting free relative rotation of the head 3 and eccentric 10 in either direction without binding, and without introducing excessive frictional retardation to the spinning tendency of the head.

The driving eccentric 10 rests upon a lower roller thrust bearing 21 which is conned within a cap 22 detachably secured to the lower portion of the main frame 9, by means of bolts as shown in Fig. 1, and the eccentric is rotatable upon the lower bearing 21 about the central vertical axis of the machine, by means of a bevel driving gear 23 rigidly attached to the upper eccentric end adjacent to the upper bearing 12. The lower bearing 21 is disposed in a plane which is perpendicular to the central axis of the eccentric confining bore of the frame 9, and the bearing 21 is therefore disposed at an angle relative to the bearing 12 which is disposed in a plane perpendicular to the axis of the bore 13. The annular sealing element 16 is rigidly attached to rand is.

therefore rotatable with the gear 23 and ec- Centric 10,` and the gear 23 meshes with a bevel driving pinion 24 secured to an end of the horizontal power shaft 25, the latter being journaled in a sleeve bearing 26 which is detachably secured to the main frame 9. With this assemblage of elements, it will be noted that all of the crushing pressures to which the head 3 is subjected, are transmitted to the rotary eccentric 19 before reaching the stationary frame 9. The gear 23 and pinion 24' are completely enclosed and protected, by the inner circular wall 17 of the frame 9 and by the sealing element 16, and the power shaft 25 is adapted to bev driven by power appliedl to a pulley 27 secured to the end of the shaft which projects beyond the bearing 26. The power shaft 25 may also be drivingly connected to an oil. circulating pump 28 as shown, but this detail forms no .part of the present improvement.

While no provision has been made for varying the size of the discharged product by vertically adjusting the head 3 and mantle 5, the effective size of the discharge opening at the lower end of the crushing chamber 8 may be readily varied by vertical adjustment of the concave 6 and liner 7. The annular concave 6 is provided with an integral peripheral flange 30 having an annular lower recess therein of semi-circular transverse cross-section adapted to engage the upper extremity of an adjusting ring 31, the horizontal plane of coaction between the concave flange 30 and the ring 31 normally being located above the top of the head 3. The concave liner 7 is removably attached to the concave 6 by means of bolts 32 and the usual babbitting, and the lower surface of the ange 30 within the confines of the annular recess thereof, may be tapered for coaction with an inner upper tapered surface of the ring 31, as shown in Fig. 1. 'I'he adjusting ring 3l has a downwardlyextending cylindrical portion 33 the lower interior of which is threaded for coaction with screw threads formed on the outer periphery of an annular series of segmental wedges 34, comprising any desired number of sections, and the inner inclined surfaces of the wedges 34 coact with a tapered annular outer surface of an annular wall 35 formed integral with the main frame 9. When the wedges 34 are loosely assocated with the wall 35 of theframe 9. the adjusting ring 31 may be rotated relative to the wedges 34 to cause the ring 31 and the concave 6 to simultaneously move up or down relative to the head 3, depending upon the direction of said rotation. In order to facilitate such rotation of the ring 31 the lower portion thereof is provided with a notched flange 36 clearly shown in Fig. 2, and a pawl arm 37 which is pivotally associated with a lever 38, is engageable with the notches of the flange 36. The adjusting lever 38 is swingably mounted upon a pivot 39 scoured to a bracket rigidly attached to the main frame 9, and the pawl arm 37 is capable of adjustable pivotal attachment to the lever 38 so as to vary the leverage or force applied to the arm 37 and also to vary the throw thereof. If so desired, two or more sets of adjusting levers' 38 and pawl arms 37 may be provided. The weight of the wedges 34 is supported by jack dil screws 40 coacting with nuts 41 resting in sockets formed in a reinforced flange 42 formed integral with the frame 9, and the jack screws 40 may be locked in adjusted position by means of lock nuts 43. The jack screws 40 may obviously be utilized to force the sectional wedges 34 along the tapered surface of the frame wall 35 to thus spread the wedges 34 and lock the adjusting ring 31 in any desired position. In order to thoroughly protect the adjusting screw threads and wedges, the adjusting ring 31 may be provided with a grooved ring 44 having a snap ring 45 disposed in the groove thereof, the snap ring being slidable along and rotatable within a bore of the annular frame wall 35. The lower extremity of the cylindrical portion 33 of the adjusting ring 31 may be provided with a plate 46 forming a recess for confining another sealing ring 47 which snugly embraces and is slidable along an outer cylindrical surface of the flange 42. While the rings 45, 47 do not interfere with adjustment'of the ring 31 relative to the frame, they do effectively seal and protect the relatively delicate portions of the,

adjusting mechanism against dirt and dust. Due to the substantially spherical formation of the crushing surface of the head 3 and the substantially frustro-conical shape of the cooperating crushing surface of the concave 6, it will be noted that relative vertical adjustment of the crushing members to vary the effective width of the discharge opening, will always result in greater variation in the width of the annular inlet to the crushing zone. There is therefore no regulation of the quantity of material delivered or fed to the crushing chamber 8, and the capacity of the crusher is controlled solely by variations in the width of the discharge opening while the chamber 8 is at all times filled to capacity.

In order to protect the crusher parts against possible damage due to the passage of uncrushable material through the crushing chamber 8, the machine is provided with safety release mechanism for normally holding the concave 6 and liner 7 against displacement, while permitting tilting of these parts relative to the adjusting ring 31 in emergency cases. This safety release means comprises an annular series of helical compression springs 48 the lower ends of which coact Awith a press ring 49 and the upper ends of which react against a socketed spider 50. The ring 49 and spider 50 are provided with ears havingv vertically alined holes loosely embracing a relatively small number of heavy upright rods 51 secured to lugs formed integral with the adjusting ring 31. The ring 49 and spider 50 are also provided with sets of alined holes disposed centrally of each spring 48, and these holes are penetrated by relatively small bolts 52. The lower heads of the bolts 52 are disposed in sockets in the ring 49 and the upper threaded ends thereof project freely through the spider and are provided with clamping and lock nuts 53 which enable the springs 40 to be subjected to any desired initial tension and maintained under such tension even if the ring 49, spider 50 and springs 48 are removed as a unit from the rods 51. The upper portions of the tensioning bolts 52 are, however, freely slidable through and tiltable relative to the spider 50 to permit the compression springs 48 to be further compressed between the ring 49 and spider 50 due to pressure applied directly to the ring 49 from the concave flange 30, and the spider 50 is normally prevented from sliding upwardly along the rods 51 by nuts 54 and lock nuts 55 coacting with the upper rod ends, which also function t'o subject the springs 48 to the iinal tension. The ring 49 merely rests upon an upper plane surface of the concave ange 30 so that the concave 6 may upon being subjected to excessive torsion, rotate relative to the adjusting and press rings 31, 49 respectively, between which the flange 30 is confined, but on the other hand, the press ring 49 is fixed against rotation and is slidable along or tiltable relative to the rods 51. The assemblage is therefore such that if uncrushable material is admitted to any portion of the crushing chamber 8, it may pass therethrough without damaging the crusher, by virtue of the tiltability of the concave 6 upon the annular ridge surface of the adjusting ring 31, and when the concave 6 tilts, the press ring 49 tilts with it and further compresses the springs 48 located nearest the obstruction passing throughl the chamber 8. It is also possible, in case the chamber 8 receives uncrushable material at more than one point, for the entire concave 6 to move bodily away from the adjusting ring 31, but the springs 48 should be sti enough to resist normal crushing pressure without causing the concave 6 to leave the adjusting ring 31. The use of a relatively small number of heavy rods 51 to resist the tilting tendency of the concave 6, instead of subjecting the light bolts 52 to this duty, obviously permits employment of a great number of relatively small springs 48 in the tilt resisting mechanism, since the diameter and size of the springs is not dependent upon the size of the rods 51.

The crushing head 3 and concave 6 themselves are so constructed, that the sire of the flnal product is gaged by the minimum width of the discharge opening from the chamber 8, so that the ma-chine may be operated at capacity or choke feed and without utilizing feed control means such as a feed plate disposed above the head 3. The machine is therefore provided with a receiving hopper 56 having a relatively wide and unobstructed inlet opening and having a delivery opening corresponding in diameter to the inlet opening of the crushing chamber 8. The hopper 56 is supported by and moves vertically with the adjusting ring 31, and is not supported directly by the main frame 9. This construction, while maintaining the hopper 56 as a part of the crushing unit permits vertical adjustment thereof with the adjusting ring 31, so that the hopper 56 may be adjusted simultaneously with the concave 6 but will not tilt therewith when the safety release is functioning. The hopper 56 is attached to the upper ends of the rods 51 by means of cap screws 57 and may be additionally adjusted in elevation relative to these rods, or in order to level the same, by inserting shims or collars between the hopper supporting flange and the rod ends, surrounding the screws 57. The assemblage of elements is therefore such that the hopper 56 may be adjusted either simultaneously with or independently of the concave 6 and liner 7, without partaking of either the rotary or tilting movement of the latter, and the formation of the hopper is such that the admitted material will bank therein so as to provide a wear resisting surface comprised of the material itself.

During normal operation of the improved crushing machine, the material 58 to be reduced is admitted to the open hopper 56 in any suitable manner and flows by gravity directly upon the head 3 from whence it is delivered in abundance into the crushing chamber 8 without ordinarily utilizing any feed control means. The

concave 6 and liner 7 are normally iixed relative to the main frame 9, and the head 3 and mantle 5 are being gyrated relative to the concave 6 and liner '7, by the revolving eccentric 10, the head 3 and mantle 5 however being free to rotate about the axis of the main shaft 4 and relative to the eccentric 10. As thevpieces of material 58 advance downwardly and outwardly along the upper spherical surface of the mantle 5 and through the crushing zone afforded by the chamber 8, they are intermittently nipped and crushed between the rapidly approaching and receding crushing surfaces of the mantle 5 and liner 7, and the resulting fragments quickly advance by gravity toward the lower discharge opening of the crushing chamber 8, being further reduced during such advancement until they are of a size corresponding to the minimum width of the discharge opening. Due to the peculiar formation and relative disposition of the coacting crushing surfaces of the mantle 5 and liner 7, the pieces of material just prior to their discharge will be subjected to several successive crushing impulses of vabout the same intensity and magnitude, thereby eliminating from the final product pieces of material having a diameter greater than the minimum discharge opening width and insuring the production of crushed material having substantially uniform size and a minimum percentage of objectionable fine product therein.

In order to deiinitely establish or x the size of the discharge opening at the lower end of the chamber 8, and to simultaneously but more rapidly vary the 'width of the inlet to the crushing zone, the adjusting ring 31 which supports the concave 6 and liner 7, and which also carries the hopper 56, may be moved vertically relative to the annular outer wall 35 of the main frame 9. In order to permit such adjustment tobe made, the segmental wedges 34 must iirst be released by releasing the lock nuts 43 and withdrawing the jack screws 40. The lever 38 and pawl arm 37 may then be manipulated to rotate the adjusting ring 31 relative to the wedges v34, thus causing the concave 6 and hopper 56 to simultaneously rotate and to move up or down relative to the head 3, depending upon the direction of rotation of the ring 31. When the desired degree of adjustment has been attained, the wedges 34 may again be driven into locking position and thus retained, with the aid of the jack screws 40 and the lock nuts 43. By virtue of the fact that the hopper 56 is supported directly by the adjusting ring 31 through the heavy rods 51, and that the concave 6 is also mounted directly upon this ring 31, it will be apparent that the vertical adjustment of theconcave 6 and liner '7 does not change the position of the hopper 56 relative to the concave 6. v

If it becomes desirable to level or otherwise change the position of the hopper 56 relative to the concave 6, the cap screws 57 coacting with the upper ends of the hopper supporting rods 51, may be released, and shims or spacing collars of the desired thickness may be inserted between the peripheral flange of the hopper 56 and the supporting ends of the rods 51 around the screws 57. This adjustment will permit the provision of sufficient clearance between the lower end of the hopper 56 and the top of the concave 6, to prevent the latter from striking the former during tilting or rising of the concave 6. The independent hopper adjustment also permits leveling of the hopper 56 so as to properly coact with a loading platform, without necessity of adjusting the entire machine upon its foundation.

It frequently occurs, that uncrushable material such as a piece of steer or substance which tends to lodge and pack locally in the crushing zone, is admitted to the chamber 8, and in order to permit such material to pass through the crusher without damaging the parts, the concave 6 is resiliently held in contact with the adjusting ring 31 by means of the series of springs 48. The springs 48 are arranged in an annulus and are set quite closely together, there being a far greater number of springs 48 than rods 51. The tension applied to the springs 48 by the nuts 54 and lock nuts 55 coacting with the rods 51 and spider 50, is suilicient to prevent tilting or bodily upward displacement of the concave 6 andy liner 7 during normal crushing, but when uncrushable material is admittedl to the crushing zone, the concave 6 may move relative to the ring 31 whereupon -the springs 48 adjacent to the displaced portion of the concave ange 30, are further compressed sufliciently to permit pas--l sage of the obstruction from the discharge opening of the machine. When the uncrushable material has left the crushing zone, the springs 48 function to quickly restore the concave 6 and liner 7 to normal crushing position. Because the hopper 56 is supported from the adjusting ring 31 independently of the concave 6, movement of the latter relative to the ring 31 will not affect the position of the hopper 56 the lower end of which is spaced from the concave 6 sufficiently to permit said concave motion.

It is also to be noted, that when the crusher is running idly, the head 3, liner 5 and shaft 4 tends to spin relative to the concave 6, and that if material is admitted to the chamber 8 while these elements are thus rotating, the stationary concave 6 and liner '7 may be subjected to sudden impact also tending to rotate these parts with the spinning elements. If the head 3 is spinning and the crushing chamber 8 is only partially filled to capacity, the material gravitating from the hopper 56 will be quickly delivered into lthe crushing zone by the head 3 which thus eliminates sparse filling of the crushing chamber when the hopper is fed to capacity. The shock resulting from this tortional impact, is quickly absorbed by virtue of the fact that the concave 6 and liner 'l may rotate relative to the adjusting' ring 31 under the frictional' restraint produced by the'springs 48. This rotative capability of the concave 6 and liner 7 is also important during normal crushing at which time the head 3, liner 5 and shaft 4 tends to rotate slowly in a direction opposite to that of the eccentric 10 and relative to theconcave 6. During such operation, the concave 6 and liner 7 may also rotate with the head 3 and relative to the adjusting ring 31, if the tortional stress becomes great enough to overcome the frictional pressure normally -produced by the springs 48. The hopper -56 due to its independent mounting upon the ring 31, does not however partake of the rotative movement of the concave 6 and liner 7, and this rotative motion of the normally stationary crushing elements obviously relieves the spring and hopper supporting members of all undesirable tortional stresses created either while the machine is running idle .or during normal crushing.

' As previously indicated, the springs 48 may be.

placed under initial tension with the aid of the series o1' bolts 52 coacting with the spider 50 and with the press ring 49, and this tension need not be relieved when the concave 6 and liner 7 are removed or when the machine is being dismantled. In order to remove the. concave 6 and liner 7, as well as the head 3 and mantle 5, the adjusting ring31 and wedges 34 need not be disturbed, and it is only necessary to remove the hopper 56 anda comparatively small number of nuts 54, 55 coacting with the hopper supporting rods 51. After the nuts 54, 55 have been released, the spider 50, springs 52 and press ring 49 may be removed from the rods 51, as a unit, whereupon the concave 6 and head 3 with their associated elements, are freely vertically removable. This removability of the head 3 and concave 6 may be effected far more rapidly than with the prior crushers, because of the fact that the rods 51 are considerably less in number than the spring tensioning bolts 53, and also because the springs 48 need not be completely released of tension when removal of the concave 6 and head 3 is being eifected. Ihe removal of the crushing members is also facilitated due to the fact that the adjusting ring 31 need not be disturbed, and the threads of this ring 31 are not directly subject to the pressure necessary to resist the compression of the springs 48 when uncrushable material is passing through the chamber 8, as in the prior crushers of this type. This pressure is absorbed by the heavy tension rods 51 which connect the spider 50 and the cylindrical portion 33 of the ring 31, and the adjusting threads and wedges 34 are not materially affected.

The fact that no bolts pass through the tilting contact surfaces of the adjusting ring 31 and flange 30, is also important. The omission of such bolts insures maximum tilting area and also prevents dust and pieces of material from lodging upon the surfaces along which actual tilting takes place. The location of the tilting area afforded by the ring 31 and flange 30, peripherally beyond the crushing chamber 8 and above the top of the head mantle 5, causes all portions of the concave liner '7 to move away from the head whenever any tilting takes place, thus enlarging the entire discharge opening, and insuring rapid freeing of the obstruction from .within the crushing zone. The rods 51 and tensioning bolts 53 moreover extend upwardly away from the crushing chamber 8 and are not therefore subject to water passing through the crusher. and moisture tends to quickly rust the nuts into place, and makes dismantling of the machine difficult. Another important feature of the improved machine is the fact that no portion of the main frame 9 is subject to wear and impact action. Only minor parts which may be replaced at relatively low cost are subject to such actions, and the main frame which is perhaps the most costly portion of the crusher will never require replacement. The more delicate portions of the crusher are obviously thoroughly protected against ingress of dust by the seal rings 18, 19, 45, 4'7 and by the leather packing strips 20, and these rings and strips perform their dust exclusion function without interfering with the normal operation and adjustments of the adjacent crusher parts.

From the preceding description it will be apparent that the present invention provides an improved crusher structure which is simple, compact and durable in construction, which may be readily assembled, dismantled or adjusted, and which is highly eicient in operation. The improvements are obviously applicable to various Such water types of crushing machines, and are especially applicable to eccentric actuated crushers of the rotary or gyratory type. The improved adjusting mechanism permits convenient variation in size of the final product produced, without obstructing or hindering inspection or renewal of the liner '7 and mantle 5, and the concave 6 andhopper 56 while being simultaneously adjustable, I

are also independently movable. The safety release device besides protecting the crusher against uncrushable material, yalso relieves the other crusher parts from excessive stress during normal operation of the machine, and all parts of the crusher are eifectively protected against un desirable deterioration.

It should be understood that it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact details of construction and to the precise mode of operation herein shown and described, for various modifications within the scope of the claims may occur to persons skilled in the art.

It is claimed and desired to secure by Letters Patent:

1. In a crusher, a stationary frame, a head gyratable relative to said frame, a concave cooperating with said head to form a crushing chamber, a concave supporting ring adjustable upon said stationary frame and relative to said head to vary the width of said chamber, said concave being tiltable relative to said ring, and sealing means carried by said ring and coacting with inner and outer cylindrical surfaces of said stationary frame.

2. In a crusher, a stationary frame having an upper inner and a lower outer cylindrical surface, a head gyratable relative to said frame, a concave cooperating with said head to form a crushing chamber, a ring tiltably supporting said concave, mechanism between said ring and said stationary frame for adjusting said ring to vary the Width of said chamber, an annular sealing element carried by the upper portion of said ring and coacting with said inner stationary frame surface to inclose said mechanism from above, and an annular sealing element carried by the lower portion of said ring and coacting with said outer stationary frame surface to inclose said mechanism from below.

3. In a crusher, a frame, a head gyratable relative to said frame, a concave cooperable with said head to form a crushing chamber, a support for said concave adjustable along said frame to vary the width of said chamber, an annular series of springs the lower ends of which coact with said concave to restrain the same against tilting relative to said support, an annular element coactingl with the upper ends of all of said springs, bolts coacting with said element to retain said springs under initial compression at all times, and rods carried by said support and coacting with said element to further finally compress said springs.

4. In a crusher, a frame, a head gyratable relative to said frame, a concave cooperable with said head to form a crushing chamber, a support for said concave carried by said frame, a series of springs, an annular lower element coacting with the lower ends of said springs and with said concave, an annular upper element coacting with the upper ends of said springs, bolts connecting said elements to subject said springs to initial compression, and means carried by said support and coacting with said upper element to subject said springs to final compression suicient to restrain said concave from tilting during normal operation of the crusher.

operable with said head to form 5. In a crusher, a gyratory head, a concave coa crushing chamber, a support for said concave, a series of springs, an annular lower element interposed between said concave and the lower ends of said springs, an annular upper element coacting with the upper ends of said springs, rods carried by v said support and coacting with said upper element to compress said springs sufficiently lto normally resist tilting of said concave relative to said support, and bolts connecting said elements for retaining said springs under compression when the coaction between said rods and said upper element is interrupted.

6. In a crusher, a gyratory head, a normally xed concave cooperating with said head to form a crushing chamber, a normally fixed support, said concave having a ange resting upon said support, a lower annular element coacting with said flange, an annular series of springs coacting at their lower ends with said element to urge said flange in contact with said support, an upper annular element coacting with the upper ends of said springs, means carried by said support for forcing said upper element downwardlyv against said springs, and adjustable means directly connecting 'said upper and lower elements.

7. In a crusher, a gyratory head freely rotatable about its central axis and having a substantially spherical upper crushing surface, a concave rotatable about theaxis of gyration of and overlying said head `and having a substantially frustro-conical lower crushing surface cooperating with said head surface to provide a downwardly flaring crushing zone, the angularity of said head surface relative to the horizontal gradually increasing from zero near the inlet to a maximum of approximately sixty degrees near the discharge kportion of said surface, and the corresponding angularity of said concave surface approximatingsaid discharge angle of said head up to a horizontal plane above the top of said head, and a rotary eccentric supporting said head for free rotation about its own axis and for gyrating said head about an intersecting axis to cause said surfaces to progressively directly approach each other.

8. In a crusher, a gyratory head freely rotatable about its own axis and having a substantially spherical upper crushing surface, a concave rotatable about the axis of gyration of and overlying said head and having a substantially frustcconical lower crushing surface cooperating with said head surface to provide a downwardly flaring crushing zone, the angularity of said head surface relative to the horizontal gradually increasing from zero near the inlet to a maximum of approximately sixty degrees near the discharge portion of said surface, and thev corresponding angularity of said concave surface approximating said discharge angle of said head up to a horizontal plane above the top of said head, a rotary eccentric supporting said head for free rotation about its own axis and for gyrating said head about an intersecting axis to cause said surfaces to progressively directly approach each other, and means for effecting vertical adjustment of said concave to rapidly vary the width of the discharge opening from said zone while more rapidly simultaneously varying the width of the inlet opening thereto.

9. In a crusher, a gyratory head freely rotatable about its central axis and having an upper curved crushing surface the angularity of which relative to the horizontal and considered in radial.

planes constantly increases from a minimum near the inlet to a maximum of approximately sixty degrees near the discharge portion thereof, a concave rotatable about the axis of gyration of and overlying said head and having a lower crushing surface cooperating with said head surface to provide a downwardly daring crushing zone of gradually diminishing width and of increasing length, the surfaces of the members being formed to produce constantly greater but gradually decreasing vertical components of crushing pressure upon said head throughout the major portion of said zone and advancing from the inlet to the discharge opening thereof, and a rotary eccentric for gyrating said head about an axis which intersects the central head axis above said eccentric to cause said surfaces to progressively approach each other with maximum movement near said discharge opening.

10. In a crusher, a gyratory head freely rotatable about its central axis and having an upper curved `crushing surface the angularity of which relative to the horizontal and considered in radial planes constantly increases from a minimum near `the inlet to a maximum of approximately sixty degrees near the -discharge portion thereof, a. concave rotatable about the axis of gyration of and overlying said head and having a lower crushing surface cooperating with said head surface to` provide a downwardly flaring crushing zone of gradually diminishing width and of increasing length, the surfaces of the members being formed to produce constantly greater but gradually decreasing vertical components of crushing pressure upon sad head throughout the major portion of said zone, and advancing from the inlet to the discharge opening thereof, a rotary eccentric for gyrating said head about an axis which intersects said central head axis above said eccentric to` cause said surfaces to progressively approach each other with maximum movement near said discharge opening, and means for effecting vertical adjustment of said concave to rapidly vary the width of the discharge opening from said zone while more rapidly simultaneously varying the width of the inlet opening thereto.

11. In a crusher, a frame, a head gyratable relative to said frame, a concave supported on said frame and cooperable with said head to form a crushing chamber, a plurality of springs adapted to normally urge said concave toward said, head, an abutment ring between said concave and the adjacent corresponding ends of said springs, a second abutment ring coacting with the opposite ends of said springs, means directly connecting sad rings to confine said springs therebetween, and other means coacting with said frame and with said second ring for subjecting said springs to final compression sufficient to resist tilting of said concave relative to said head during normal crushing.

12. In a crusher, a frame, a head gyratable relative to said frame, a concave supported on said frame and cooperable with said head to form a crushing chamber, an annular series of springs adapted to normally urge said concave toward said head, a lower abutment ring between said concave and the lower ends of said springs, an upper abutment ring coacting with the upper ends of said springs, connecting means between said rings for confining said springs therebetween, and other means coacting with said frame and with'said upper ring for subjecting said springs to final compression sufficient to resist tilting ofsaid concave relative to said head and said frame during normal crushing.'

13. In a crusher, a frame, a head gyratable relative to said frame, a concave cooperable with said head to form a crushing chamber, a support for said concave adjustable along said frame to vary the width of said chamber, said concave being tiltable relative to said head upon said support, springs coacting with said concave to restrain the same against tilting, means carried by sad support for subjecting said springs to tension sufficient to resist said tilting during normal crushing, and a supply hopper carried by said support through said means, said concave being tiltable without disturbing said hopper.

14. In a crusher, a frame, a head gyratable relative to said frame, a concave cooperable with said head to form a crushing chamber, a support for said concave adjustable along said frame to vary the width of said chamber, said concave being tiltable and rotatable relative to said head upon said support, springs coacting with said concave to restrain the same against tilting and rotation, means including rods carried by said support for subjecting said springs to tension suflicient to resist said tilting during normal crushing, and a supply hopper carried by said rods,gsaid concave being tiltable and rotatable `without `disturbing said hopper.

15. In a crusher, a head having a substantially spherical upper crushing surface, a concave overlying said head and having a substantially frustro-conical lower crushing surface coopering with said head surface to provide a downwardly and outwardly flaring crushing zone, the angularity ofsaid hea'd surface considered in vertical radial planes gradually increasing from a minimum near the inlet to approximately sixty degrees near the discharge portion of said surface, and the corresponding angularity of said concave surface above said discharge portion being greater than that of said head surface, and a rotary eccentric for relatively gyrating said head and concave about relatively inclined axes to cause said surfaces to progressively approach each other with maximum relative movement near said discharge portions of said surfaces.

16. In a crusher, a head having a substantially spherical upper crushing surface, a concave overlying said head and having a substantially frustro-conical lower crushing surface cooperating with said head surface to provide a downwardly and outwardly flaring crushing zone,l the angularity of said head surface considered in vertical radial planes gradually increasing from a minimum near the inlet to a maximum of approximately sixty degrees near the discharge portion of said surface, and the corresponding angularity of said concave surface above said discharge portion being greater than that of said head surface, a rotary eccentric for relatively gyrating said head and concave about relatively inclined axes to cause said surfaces to progressively approach each other with maximum relative movement near said discharge portions of said surfaces, and means for effecting relative vertical adjustment of sad head and concave to rapidly vary the effective width of the discharge opening from said zone while more rapidly simultaneously varyingthe effective width of the inlet opening thereto.

17. In a crusher, a head having an upper substantially spherical crushing surface the angularity of which relative to the horizontal and considered in radial planes increases gradually from a minimum at the top to a maximum near the bottom thereof, the included angle of said surface measured about the generating center of the sphere being approximately one hundred ten degrees, a concave overlying said head and having a lower crushing surface coperating with said head surface to form a downwardly and outwardly extending crushing zone of gradually decreasing transverse width in the direction of travel of the material through said zone, said concave surface having substantially uniform angularity in said radial planes to a point above said head and thereafter having decreasing angularity proceeding toward the inlet to said zone, and an eccentric for gyrating said head to cause greater radial movement of said head Surface relative to said concave surface near the bottom than near the top. 1

18. In a crusher, a head having an upper substantially spherical crushing surface the angularity of which relative to the horizontal and considered in radial planes increases gradually from a minimum at the top to a maximum near the bottom thereof, the included angle of said surface measured about the generating center of the sphere being approximately one hundred and ten degrees, a concave overlying said head and having a lower crushing surface cooperating with said head surface to form a downwardly and outwardly extending crushing zone of gradually decreasing transverse width in the direction of travel of the material through said zone, said concave surface having substantially uniform angularity in said radial planes to a point above said head and thereafter having decreasing angularity proceeding toward the inlet to said zone, an eccentric for gyrating said head to cause greater radial movement of said head surface relative to said concave surface near the bottom than near the top, and me-.ns for effecting adjustment of said concave along the crusher axis to rapidly vary the width of the discharge opening from said zone while more rapidly simultaneously varying the width of the inlet opening thereto.

19. In a crusher, a head having a substantially spherical upper crushing surface, a concave overlying said head and having a substantially frustro-conical lower crushing surface cooperating with said head surface to provide a downwardly flaring crushing zone, the angularity of said head surface considered in vertical radial planes gradually increasing from a minimum near the' inlet to approximately sixty degrees near the discharge portion of said surface, and the corresponding angularity of said concave surface above said discharge portion being greater than that of said head surface, and a rotary eccentric supporting said head, said eccentric being formed to gyrate said head relative to said concave about relatively inclined axes to cause said surfaces Ato progressively approach each other with maximum relative movement near the discharge portions of said surfaces.

20. In a crusher, a head having a substantially spherical upper crushing surface, a concave overlying said head and having a substantially frustro-conical lower crushing surface cooperating with said head surface to provide a downwardly aring crushing zone, the angularity of said head surface relative to the horizontal increasing proceeding toward the bottom of the head so that the included angle of said surface measured about the generating center of the sphere is approximately one hundred and ten degrees, and the corresponding angularity of said concave surface above said discharge portion being greater than that of said head surface, and a rotary eccentric supporting said head, said eccentric being formed to gyrate said head relative to said concave to v cause said surfaces to progressively approach each other with maximum relative movement near the discharge portions of said surfaces.

21. In a crusher,' a frame, a head gyratable relative to said frame, a concave supported on said frame and cooperable with said head to form a crushing chamber, a plurality of springs adapted to normally urge said concave toward said head, an abutment ring between said concave and the adjacent corresponding ends of said springs, a second abutment ring coacting with the opposite ends of said springs, means for confining said springs between said rings, and other means coacting with said frame and with said second ring for subjecting said springs to nal compression sulcient to resist tilting of said concave relative to said head during .normal crushing.

22. In a crusher, a head having an upper substantially spherical crushing surface the angularity of which relative to the horizontal increases proceeding toward the bottom of the head so that the included angle of said surface measured about the generating center of the sphere is approximately one hundred and ten degrees, a concave overlying said head and having a lower crushing surface cooperating with said head surface to form a downwardly and outwardly extending crushing zone of gradually decreasing transverse width in the direction of travel of the material through said zone, said concave surface having substantially uniform angularit'y relative to the horizontal to a point above said head, and an eccentric for gyrating said head to cause greater radial movement of said head surface relative to said concave surface near the bottom than near the top.

23. In a crusher, a head having an upper substantially spherical crushing surface the angularity of which relative to the horizontal increases proceeding toward the bottom of the head so that the included angle of said surface measured about the generating center of the sphere is approximately one hundred and ten degrees, a concave overlying said head and having a lower crush-V ing surface cooperating with said head surface to form a downwardly and outwardly extending crushing zone of gradually decreasing transverse width in the direction of travel of the material through said zone, said concave surface having substantially uniform angularity relative to the horizontal to a point above said head, an eccentric for gyrating said head to cause greater radial movement of said head surface relative to said concave surface near the bottom than near the top, and means for effecting adjustment of said concave along the crusher axis to rapidly vary the width of the discharge opening from said zone while more rapidly simultaneously varying the width of the inlet opening thereto.

24. In a crusher, a frame, a head gyratable relative ,to said frame, a concave supported on said frame and lcooperable with said head to form a crushing chamber, a plurality of springs adapted to normally urge said concave toward said head, an abutment ring between said concave and the adjacent corresponding ends of said springs, a second abutment ring coasting with the opposite corresponding ends of said springs, means for conning said springs between said rings when said rings and springs are disassociated from the crusher, and other means for subjecting said springs to nal compression suilcient to resist tilting of said concave relative to said head during normal crushing.

25. Ina crusher, a frame, a head gyratable relative to said frame, a concave cooperable with said head to form a crushing chamber, a support for said concave adjustable along said frame to vary the width of said chamber, said concave heing tiltable relative to said head upon said support, springs coacting with said concave to restrain the same against tilting, means carried by said support for subjecting said springs to tension suilicient to resist sa'd tilting during normal crushing, and a supply hopper carried directly by said spring tensioning means.

26.. In a crusher, a head having a substantially spherical crushing surface, a concave overlying said head and having a substantially frustro-conical crushing surface cooperating with said head surface to provide a flaring crushing zone, means for effecting relative adjustment of said concave and head along the crusher axis, the included angle of said spherical head surface being considerably less than one hundred and eighty degrees and the relationship of said head and over- Lving concave being such that said adjustment rapidly varies the width of the discharge opening from said zone while more rapidly simultaneously varying the width of the inlet opening, and

means for relatively gyrating said head and concave to cause said surfaces to nroeressively approach each other.

27. In a crusher, a head having a substantially spherical crushing surface, a concave overlying said head and having a substantially frustro-conical crushing surface cooperating with said head surface to provide a flaring crushing zone, means for eecting adjustment of said concave relative to said head along the crusher the included angle of said spherical head surface being considerably less than one hundred eighty degrees and the relationship of said head and overlying concave being such that said adjustment rapidly varios the width of the discharge opening from said zone while more rapidly simultaneously varying the width of the inlet opening, and means for gyrating said head relative to said concaveto cause said surfaces to progressively approach each other. 

